College football gameday: Saturday’s 8 to watch
CHARLOTTE (4-7, 3-4 Conference USA) at TEXAS SAN ANTONIO (5-6, 4-3)
Alamodome, San Antonio, 7 p.m.
A win would give the 49ers a school record-tying fifth victory. They have been tough on the road, with a 3-0 conference record away from home. This will be the finale for 19 Charlotte fifth-year seniors, including running back Kalif Phillips (43 career touchdowns) of Kannapolis.
The Roadrunners need a victory to become bowl-eligible for the first time. They have platooned quarterbacks, with senior Dalton Sturm usually starting. But senior Jared Johnson came off the bench and threw for 186 yards last week in a 23-10 loss to Texas A&M.
Steve Lyttle
SOUTH CAROLINA (6-5) at NO. 4 CLEMSON (10-1)
Memorial Stadium, Clemson, S.C., 7:30 p.m., ESPN
At 108 years, this is the second-longest consecutively-played rivalry (trailing only Minnesota-Wisconsin), and South Carolina has won five of the past seven. This is the first USC-Clemson game for Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp. The game has huge importance for Clemson, which remains in the hunt for a playoff berth and can’t afford a loss. The Tigers have been especially strong in the first quarter this season, and the Gamecocks will have to start fast.
S.L.
DUKE (4-7, 1-6 ACC) at MIAMI (7-4, 4-3)
Hard Rock Stadium, Coral Gables, Fla., 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
Though it won’t finish with a .500 record, Duke is not out of bowl contention. It appears as if between three and five teams with 5-7 records will get bowl berths this year, and those teams will be picked according to graduation rates. Duke is second in line behind Army (which is 6-5 but has two victories over FCS competition), according to several reports this week. ...Blue Devils freshman quarterback Daniel Jones, who played at Charlotte Latin, leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns. His Miami counterpart, Brad Kaaya, has 19 touchdown passes and is considered an NFL prospect.
S.L.
BOSTON COLLEGE (5-6, 1-6 ACC) at WAKE FOREST (6-5, 3-4)
BB&T Field, Winston-Salem, 3 p.m., WBTV
The visiting Eagles, coming off their best outing this season (30-0 win over Connecticut), need a win Saturday for bowl eligibility. The Deacons have secured a berth and will play in a bowl for the first time in five years. Wake Forest’s sluggish offense could face a tough test against a Boston College defense that ranks 12th in FBS.
S.L.
EAST CAROLINA (3-8, 1-6 American Athletic) at TEMPLE (8-3, 6-1)
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., ESPNNews
East Carolina senior wide receiver Zay Jones ranks No. 1 in FBS career receptions (392) and has 151 this season. The single-season record is 155, set in 2009 by Freddie Barnes of Bowling Green. ...Temple can clinch the AAC East title (and a championship game berth next week) with a victory or a South Florida loss to Central Florida.
S.L.
APPALACHIAN STATE (8-3, 6-1 Sun Belt) at NEW MEXICO STATE (2-7, 2-4)
Aggie Memorial Stadium, Las Cruces, N.M., 4 p.m.
Appalachian State had three backs rush for more than 100 yards in last week’s 42-17 rout of La.-Monroe, and it needs victories Saturday and in its bowl to log a 10-victory season. The Aggies are 3-1 at home this season and rank No. 2 in the Sun Belt in takeaways.
S.L.
FCS PLAYOFFS
Charleston Southern (7-3) at Wofford (8-3)
Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, 2 p.m.
Charleston Southern and Wofford are two of the top rushing teams in FCS. The winner will travel next weekend to The Citadel, the Southern Conference champion.
N.C. A&T (9-2) at Richmond, (8-3)
Robins Stadium, Richmond, 2 p.m.
N.C. A&T is making its first back-to-back playoff appearances in 24 years. The Aggies are led by running back Tarik Cohen (1,518 yards). Richmond has survived season-ending injuries to eight starters this fall.
S.L.
This story was originally published November 25, 2016 at 4:39 PM with the headline "College football gameday: Saturday’s 8 to watch."